Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-24
CHARLESTON BLUECOATS
THE MIDDLE WILL PROBABLY
BE SETTLED TOMORROW.

The BOarJ or Police Commissioners
Must Either Reconsider Its Action
or Resign-The Proposed Site For ths
Governments New BuildInG-straichtx
eninG Out the Assessment Muddle.
CHARLESTON, Jan. 23.-The only thine
in the way OF excitement that has been
noticed in Charleston during last week
was the blizzard OF Wednesday and
Thursday, which sent the mercury down
to % degs. froze up all the pumps and
water pipes in the city, and made for.
tunes possible for plum bers and wood and
coal dealers. In municipal mat.
ters there has been an abSo-
lutte lull, but lull which will
probably be followed by something Of
hurricane or a cyclone during the coming
week. There have been several meetings
OF the Police Commissioners at which the
Mayor was invited to be present and at
whioh he was present. The meetings wefa
held with closed doors and nothing ia
known Of the proceedings save tae
TACT that an effort was nlada
to settle the police muddlb
satisfactorily TO All parties, the parties in
question being the Mayor Oh one side,
who voices the sentiments OF very large
class OF the taxpayers, and the Poiica
Commissioners on the other, who mads
the alleged deal by which some OF the besu
officers Of the force were left out and the
alleged favorities of the Commissioners
taken in. 1t is understood that absolutely
nothing was accomplished at these con-
ferences. The board meets again to-mor-
row Monday night and the City Coun
oil ON Tuesday night. If the vote
of the Council at its last
meeting refusing to confirm the
action of the Board is indicative Of any
thing, ii means that the Board will either
have to reconsider its action and recon-
struct the force, or resign. 1t seems to
be generally Understood that the resigna-
tion OF the Chief of Police would solve
the problem, although no reasons are
given for desiring his resignation. The
matter Will probably be settled on Tues
day night next.
In the meantime the municipal tax.
gatherers have been kept busy issuing
licenses, and In the Yernacuar of the
day, "raking in the shekels." The pay
ments have been very prompt considers
ing-the earthquake.
CONGRESSIONAL. APPROPRIATIONS.
The eyes of all Charleston are turn,d
very anxiously TO Congress at this time.
The passage of the $500. 900 appropriation
for the Jetties and the 100000 appropri-
alton for public building means great
deal to Charleston. 1t means prosperity,
new life, existence itself. The compile.
tion of the jetties may do what all the mill.
ions Charleston has herself spent in seek
ing railroad connection with the W est
has failed to do for ber-make her port OF
commercial importance. At present our
public buildings are in ruins, more or less.
Hospital, jail, aims house, court house,
colleges are all more or less shattered,
some completely destroyed. The Relief
Committee has announced that it will ba
able to devote 100000 of the fund 80 gem
erously contributed by our fellow citizens
TO the work OF restoring the hospital and
aims houses. Ii the 100000 post office
bill passes Congress, it is expected 10
sell to the government the site now occu-
pied by the main police station for $780,
coo. The money will be used by the cily
to buIld central station on Marion
square, the site having been contributed
by the city, which will en-
able the city TO consolidate the police
force. 1t Is also intended to consolidate
the fire department into two divisions
one III the upper ana one in the lower
wards. Each engine now occupies a sep
arate house, the force being scattered
through the city. The houses belong To
the city. The sale OF the property will
enable the city to build two fire stations,
pIaclng 1OuF engines at one and four al
the other, thus strengthening and consDli-
dating the force. series Of fexperiments
have already been made proving that from
the points selected the engines can reach
any point in the CITY by the time, If not
before steam has been raised in the
boiler.
THE ASSESSMENT MUDDLE.
The assessment muddle 10 in process Of
settlement. The Ways and Means Cons
mittee have decided to reduce the aggre-
gate assessment from $22, 100000 TO s13.-
100000. This may necessitate an increase
on the rate Of taxation, but the taxpayers
profess to be willing TO do tins. All perm
anent street improvements, however, ara
to be abandoned for the present. and
there is strong talk of general reduction
OF municipal salaries, for which there is
abundant room.
A SENSATION.
The presence In the streets of Pinker-
ton detective for the past day or two has
caused a genuine sensation. The detec-
tive understands the art Of holding his
tongue, and has heretofore bsfiled score
OF reporters who have been dogging hiu
tracks ever since his presence in the city
became known. The MORNING NEWS
correspondent has not been able 10 induce
"PiDkerton" to talk, but somehow os,
other the report has leaked out that he ia
in the employ Of firm VINO thinks it has
been robbed.